Load forming systems are commonly used to stack bundles of un-erected corrugated boxes. Load forming systems transport, using a conveyor, bundles of un-erected boxes. The bundles are then typically conditioned by a centering unit, a rotator, and/or a doubler. Pusher forks are used to transfer the bundle from the rotator to the pick-up location. A robot having a movable arm with a gripping mechanism is used to pick-up and move the bundles to a desired location on another conveyor unit. The robot stacks the bundles according to how the robot controller is programmed. Thus, the robot is programmed to stack the bundles according to a specific stacking pattern. If the stacking pattern needs to be altered, the robot controller needs to be re-programmed. The re-programming of the robot controller is time consuming and inconvenient. It also requires down time for the robot, thus, not allowing the robot to be used for stacking bundles.
The bundles of un-erected boxes also tend to be inconsistent in height and shape. This is caused by glue flaps or warping that causes the bundles to be shaped like a wedge or to vary in height from bundle to bundle. Conventional load forming systems do not take into account the variation in bundle quality and geometry.
Accordingly, it would be desirable that a load forming system be able to be easily reprogrammed to facilitate altering stacking patterns and operate in a manner that improves the efficiency for stacking the bundles. It would also be desirable that the load forming system take into account the variability in the geometry of a bundle when stacking them.